Dizzy
by highlander-bellflower
Summary: [ Sequel to Here With Me ] Unexpected help from an old flame brings Aimee Oliver one step closer to finding Tommy.
1. Part 1: Aimee

**Disclaimer: **It's Saban's sandbox, I just play here because it's fun. The title comes from the song "Dizzy" by the Goo Goo Dolls. If you've never listened to it, you should, because it's awesome.

This story takes place after my story _Here With Me_. While you could read this story by itself, for the background on Aimee Oliver and how she got to where she is, check out that story before reading this one.

Reviews and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated, and even encouraged!

Dizzy Part One

2006 by Amie Martin

-

-- Aimee --

All of the important items in my life fit into only seven boxes.

I surveyed the packages, stacked in one corner of the room, judging how long it would take to unpack each one. There was a box labeled "videos," mostly from my dance competitions growing up, and that one I could probably shove in the closet. Another was labeled "books," and a couple simply "Misc." But three of the seven boxes contained pictures, and going through them could take the better part of a week.

Almost three years had passed since my older brother, Tommy Oliver, had disappeared and I made it my mission to track him down. I'd packed these boxes when I left my father's house to begin the search, and they'd stayed hidden in the trunk of my car until this morning. Locking the memories away didn't let me forget them, but it was easier than being confronted by them.

Along the way I stumbled upon Tommy's biggest secret – he was a Power Ranger, protector of the planet, and his experience was needed to save the world from Volkadir, a scarred humanoid looking to take over everything in sight. With Tommy missing and no one else who could activate the Green Ranger powers, I agreed to help the Rangers in their fight until Tommy was found.

That was a month ago. Somehow I expected my time as a Ranger would pass quickly, but I found all my free time – that is, the time I didn't spend searching – was filled with battles and training. I spent a lot of time with Jason Scott, former Red Ranger and Tommy's best friend, learning to transform my dance routines into martial arts. It didn't leave a lot of time for other things, like hanging out or unpacking a lousy seven boxes.

The truth was, I'd been avoiding this day. Bringing my things to the Rangers' base, claiming a room and making it my own, meant I was staying here for a while. Part of me thought my Ranger days were temporary – we'd find Tommy in a week, transfer the powers and I'd be free to go. Life, it seemed, didn't want to work out that way.

So I sighed, pulling my hair back into a low ponytail as I contemplated which box to start on first. Finally I grabbed one of the boxes labeled "pictures" and tore open the packaging tape. I might as well get the hard part out of the way first.

I was rummaging through a stack of photos from my 8th birthday when there was a knock on the door. Ashley, the team's Yellow Ranger, poked her head inside. I could see Cassie, our Pink Ranger, hovering over Ashley's shoulder.

"We heard you were bringing some of your stuff onto the ship," Ashley said, coming inside. "And we thought you might like some help getting settled."

My first instinct was to say no, but I had a tendency to shut people out, and I was trying to stop that. Instead, I smiled. "That would be great. I'd really appreciate it."

"No problem." Ashley flopped onto my bed, while Cassie lingered by the doorway. "Where do you want us to start?" Ashley asked.

"Uh, wherever is fine with me." I shrugged. "You can put that box of videos in the closet if you want, I'm not going through that today. I've just been sorting through all of my pictures."

"Pictures!" Cassie smiled and sat across from me, cross-legged on the floor. "I love looking at pictures," she said, pulling an album out of the box and flipping through the pages.

I chuckled. Photography had been one of my hobbies for a long time, so I shared her enthusiasm. "Knock yourself out."

Meanwhile, Ashley was staring at the closet, looking at items at random. "Are these all your clothes?" She took out a dark green strapless dress, running her fingers over the fabric.

"Most of them. I had to talk Jase into letting me borrow his spare closet, because they all wouldn't fit." The memory of Jason's face when I asked him about it still made me laugh.

"This is really cute!" Holding the dress against her, Ashley spun around, as if modeling for us. "Next time we go to the mall, Aimee, you have to come shopping with us."

It was the first time I could remember being asked to go out shopping – most of my friends growing up had been involved in my dance classes, and I wasn't exactly Miss Popularity – and I was touched by Ashley's offer. It seemed sincere, not some pity invite because she thought I needed friends. "Sounds good," I said, nodding. "Let me know when and I'll be there."

"Just so you know, we'll be there for hours. Ash can _never_ decide which outfit she likes best." There was a dry tone to Cassie's voice that I hadn't expected. Even though I'd been fighting alongside these girls for a month, I was just starting to get to know them. "Is this you and your brother?"

She held up a silver frame with three black and white pictures inside. The picture on the left was Tommy's profile, long hair framing his face. My profile was on the right, and in the center was a picture of us together, my arms around his neck, both of us grinning from ear to ear. I took the picture from Cassie and stared at it for a few long seconds.

Tommy and I had been happy then. It was before our mother died, before he disappeared. It seemed like ages ago.

"Yeah, that's us." I tried to talk past the lump forming in my throat. Reaching up behind me, I put the frame on my desk. "I took those pictures as a gift for my mom, maybe four years ago or so."

"They look like a professional did them." Putting the dress back, Ashley sat down next to me. "I'm sure your mom must have loved it."

If I closed my eyes, I could still see Mom's face, how proud she'd looked. "She kept it on the mantle, above the fireplace." My voice grew quieter as I spoke. "When she died… it felt right to hang onto it."

Cassie's hand covered my own. "I'm sorry. We didn't know about your mom."

"It's okay." At the sad, almost guilty expression in the Pink Ranger's eyes, I added, "No, really, I'm fine. It was a while ago, and sometimes I just miss her, that's all."

There was an awkward silence between us for a few moments, none of us exactly sure what to say next. I didn't want to go into details about my mom's death, and I was pretty sure Cassie and Ashley might not be so comfortable hearing them, not when we were having a good time just moments before.

Finally, Ashley cleared her throat. "What else do you have in here?" She stuck her hand in the box, pulling out another picture frame and holding it up so we could see it.

"Is that… Jason?" Cassie asked, leaning forward. "In a tuxedo?"

I giggled, some of the tension I felt fading away. "If that's the picture I think it is, then yes, that's Jase and yeah, he's wearing a tux."

"And you're in a prom dress…" Ashley's eyes grew wide. "Jason took you to your _prom?_"

Her reaction made me laugh even harder. "Junior prom, yeah."

"Now you have to tell us about this one." Cassie sat back, like a child eager for story time to begin.

"There's not much to tell." I was having a hard time meeting either girl's eyes, because their expressions only made me laugh more. I didn't think someone would find my past that interesting. "It was a pity date – I didn't have anyone to go with and it's really weird to bring your older brother as your date, so… Jase did me a favor."

"Yeah, but it's still a date, and you keep the picture from it on display." Ashley held up the frame as if offering proof. "What's between you two, anyway? If you don't mind me asking."

My face flushed red, and I busied myself with a stack of loose photos to hide it. "There's nothing going on. Jase is my brother's best friend – I ran into him literally right before we ran into you guys, and I hadn't seen him in like three years before that."

"Come on, Aimee. He doesn't look at you like a friend's little sister." Cassie moved closer to me, and I had the feeling of being trapped in on both sides. "You'd have to be blind not to notice how he pays attention to you."

"And you two are always together," Ashley added, nodding. "If you're not with us, you're out with him, training or whatever."

No matter what, I couldn't let myself think of Jason as anything more than what he was – an old friend I spent a lot of time with. We'd always acted like this while we were together, ever since Jason returned from his Peace Conference in Switzerland, and we'd never been more than just friends. "It's complicated," I said, leaning back against my desk. "Jase and I share a lot of history, that's all. He understands how I feel without having to explain myself."

"Which makes him perfect boyfriend material," Ashley pointed out. "Don't you like him, even just a little?"

I shook my head a little, deciding not to answer Ashley's question directly. My feelings tended to get me into trouble more often than not, and I didn't want these two to get any ideas. "He's my brother's best friend. And yeah, I had this huge crush on him – when I was 12. Just let it go, guys."

"You think Tommy wouldn't approve?" Cassie looked up from another photo album. "After all, he probably knows the two of you the best."

I shrugged. "Right now, it's kind of a moot point. I just know from experience that it's a bad idea to date your brother's friends."

An alarm sounded above our heads, complete with high-pitched wailing and a flashing red light by the door. "We've got incoming!" Andros, our Red Ranger and Ashley's boyfriend, shouted through the speaker. "Everyone get to the bridge!"

Getting to her feet, Ashley dusted some invisible dirt from her pants. "Do you think it's Volkadir?" she asked as the three of us headed into the hallway.

"Wouldn't surprise me. He's been too quiet for the past week." I shook my head. "And I thought I was going to get that room finished today."

"Actually we spent more time telling stories than unpacking." Cassie shrugged. "And you'll have to tell us which of Tommy's friends you used to date – we used to hang out with some of them."

I knew Cassie hadn't meant anything by it, but a sickening feeling crawled into my stomach, and I resisted the urge to stop walking and double over. Talking about my ex was not something I particularly wanted to do. The only one who knew the entire story was Jason, and he had enough common sense not to bring up the subject. Some things in my past just needed to stay buried.

On the bridge, the other three members of our team – Andros, the Blue Ranger TJ, and the Black Ranger Carlos – were already at their stations, Andros at the helm and the other two at smaller side computers. Ashley and Cassie ran to their stations, but I hung back, trying not to hover over Andros' shoulder. As the new kid, I had no idea how half of this equipment worked, and since most electronics tended to explode in my presence, I left this up to the professionals.

"So, what's going on?" I asked, jamming my hands into the pockets of my cargo pants. On the main viewscreen, there was a small, rounded spaceship, with a sheen to it that made it look like it was covered in water. "Did Volkadir finally decide to take this battle into space?"

"I'm not sure." TJ frowned in concentration, tapping a few buttons on his console. "It's not broadcasting any of the signals we've identified as Volkadir and his men."

"And the ship design isn't right," Andros said. "I swear, that looks like something they'd build on Aquitar."

Aquitar… where had I heard that name before? Maybe Jason had mentioned it during one of our talks about his life as a Ranger, I couldn't be sure. While my memory was slightly better than my brother's, minor details never seemed to stick with me.

"Whoever it is, they're not carrying a lot of weapons." Cassie rested her chin in one hand. "There are signs of battle damage on the hull, so I think it's seen some action."

"Wait – they're broadcasting something. It could be a distress signal." Ashley looked over her shoulder at Andros. "Can we patch it through our speakers?"

Nodding, Andros tapped a few buttons on his console and a static-filled voice crackled through the bridge. "Attent – ace Rangers. This is – ly Cran – on, form – ue Ranger – questing assistance. My ship was – ttacked upon leaving Aquit – cannot assess damage. Requesting permission – to dock and com – pairs. Repeat. Attent – ace Rangers…"

"His transmitter's been hit, so the message is a little broken," Carlos said, "but I think he's looking for us."

The sickening feeling grew worse, and I grabbed hold of Andros' console to steady myself. The message was broken, yes, but I thought I caught a name in there, and if I was right…

"Aimee, are you okay?" Andros tore his eyes away from the viewscreen to look at me. "You're getting pale."

"I know that voice." I stood up straight, trusting my legs not to give out on me. My hands were shaking, part rage, part panic. "Is there any way we can talk back to him?"

Ashley turned around in her chair. "Friend of yours?"

"Friend of Tommy's." It was easier to separate us this way; it made the pain hurt less. "I want to talk to him."

"Okay." A few clicking noises came from Ashley's panel. "The channel should be open… now."

Slowly, a man's face appeared on the bridge's viewscreen. His blond hair had grown out since I'd last seen him, now in a shaggy cut around his face. There was a bit of stubble on his chin; the man I'd known had always been clean-shaven. But his eyes were still the blue I remembered, wide and honest and fully relieved to see us.

At least, until his eyes drifted across the room and settled on me.

"AJ," Billy Cranston whispered, shock replacing the relief on his face. "What are you--"

"Don't call me that," I snapped, and Billy pulled away from the viewscreen. I was over the surprise of seeing him there, and now I was just angry. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Ashley stood up from her seat and went to Andros' side. "We got your message, but it's pretty jumbled. Is everything all right?" She looked nervous, and it sounded to me like she was trying to change the subject.

"My transport was attacked by unknown forces," Billy said. I could feel his eyes on me, and I wondered if the curiosity was killing him. "Preliminary diagnostics check shows damage to the hull and sensor arrays, but I can't confirm the damage until I dock. I was hoping the Space Rangers might have a base with adequate room to complete repairs."

Andros nodded. "Well, we're the Space Rangers." He glanced over at me. "Neo Space Rangers, actually. And you're--"

"Bill Cranston," I hissed between my teeth. "First Blue Ranger. He ran off to Aquitar some time ago, isn't that right, Bill?" I'd believed for years that he'd simply moved out of town; it wasn't until I became a Ranger that I finally found out what really happened.

Billy didn't say anything, but his eyes dropped away from mine.

Carlos twisted around, leaning forward so his elbows were resting on his knees. "Our docking bay could easily handle a ship that size, even with the Zords in there," he said.

"All right." Andros hit a few buttons on his console. "I'm sending you the proper coordinates for the landing. We'll see you in a few minutes."

"Got it." Billy focused on something off-screen, nodding to himself. "Thank you for your hospitality."

As the viewscreen faded to black, I started to head for the door. Billy Cranston was back, and after the way he left five years ago, there were a few burning questions I had to ask – along with an old fashioned ass kicking that Billy well deserved. I didn't care if his ship was damaged or whatever his problem was. This was to settle an old grudge between Billy and me.

"Aimee, wait." Ashley caught my arm just before I walked out of the bridge. "Are you okay? You don't seem too happy to see Billy, and I thought he was your friend."

"No, he was _Tommy's _friend," I snapped, and Ashley pulled back a little. Rubbing my temples, I said, softly this time, "Look, it's a long story and I don't want to go into it right now. I just need to go talk to him."

"…Okay." She let go of my arm, and it was hard to miss the concern in her eyes. "Don't do anything stupid, all right?"

I gave her the best cocky smile I could manage as I started down the hallway. I'd waited five years for this day to come, and if my actions fit Ashley's definition of "stupid," I was beyond caring.

"Well," I said as the bridge door slid closed, "You know me."

-

_**Author's Notes:** Yeah, the pairing seems to come out of nowhere. It reminds me of this kid I dated in high school – seemed like a good idea at the time, but looking back, we had nothing in common and the relationship didn't make sense at all. That's the feeling I want Aimee and Billy to have, something they can laugh about later. _

_Let me know what you think!_


	2. Part 2: Billy

**Disclaimer: **It's Saban's sandbox, I just play here because it's fun. The title comes from the song "Dizzy" by the Goo Goo Dolls. If you've never listened to it, you should, because it's awesome.

This story takes place after my story _Here With Me_. While you could read this story by itself, for the background on Aimee Oliver and how she got to where she is, check out that story before reading this one.

Reviews and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated, and even encouraged!

Dizzy Part Two

2006 by Amie Martin

-

-- Billy --

My hands were shaking as I ended the communication with the Space Rangers. Aimee-Jean Oliver was certainly the last person I expected to see, especially in the company of Power Rangers.

And she looked ready to jump through the computer screen and strangle me.

I couldn't blame her – Aimee and I hadn't parted on the greatest of terms, and I left for Aquitar shortly thereafter. In retrospect, our entire relationship had been a mistake, and I never got a chance to apologize for it. I never heard what she had been told when I left, but chances were she knew the truth by now. In order for her to be there, on that ship, she had to be a Ranger.

I didn't know which thought worried me more – reckless Aimee as a Ranger, or the angry Aimee waiting for me to land.

A loud beeping noise came from off to my right, and I took a quick look to double-check the coordinates the Rangers had sent. As I began to go through the motions of landing the ship, my mind drifted, recalling memories I thought I'd long put behind me.

Aimee and I had started innocently enough, all those years ago…

-- _Flashback _--

"Tommy, man, are you sure you're all right?" I frowned, watching as Tommy launched another assault on an unsuspecting punching bag. He'd been distant and depressed for almost two weeks now, sine the day Kimberly sent him The Letter. I thought hanging out at the Youth Center would help cheer him up, but so far, nothing had changed. "You've been hitting the same bag for an hour now."

Sweat dripped into Tommy's eyes, sticking stray pieces of hair to his face. "Why wouldn't I be all right?" he said, not looking over at me.

I held the punching bag still, forcing Tommy to stop. "Because I know you, and I know what Kim meant to you."

"And you're a really bad liar."

Looking over my shoulder, I noticed a young woman standing behind us, with dark hair down to her waist and the same facial features as Tommy. She had a backpack slung over her shoulder and an iced coffee in her other hand. "Did you forget something?" she asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Awww, man." Tommy rested his head against the punching bag. "AJ, I'm sorry, I totally forgot I was supposed to go get you," he said. "I've just been so out of it lately…"

It clicked in my mind who she was – Aimee, Tommy's younger sister. She hung around us occasionally, and I'd met her a few times in the years I'd been friends with Tommy. Ever since Jason, Trini, and Zack left for the Peace Conference, however, I'd hardly seen her.

"So I've heard." Aimee walked over to us and left her coffee on a nearby table. Reaching up, she brushed Tommy's hair out of his face, tucking the loose strands behind his ears. "My poor Thomas John," she murmured. "Whatever are we going to do with you?"

Tommy smiled; it was still sad, but it was the closest expression to happiness I'd seen from him in a long while. "I see you already got your coffee."

"I talked Noah into stopping on the way over here. I'm supposed to meet up with him for rehearsal after we get out of dinner." She shrugged. "You can have some if you'd like."

"Gross. You know I don't drink that stuff." Tommy grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Give me a few minutes to clean up and we'll head out, okay?"

"Sure." Aimee sat down at the table and crossed her legs. "I'm sure Bill here can keep me entertained while you're gone."

In spite of myself, I blushed a little; I was rather surprised Aimee remembered my name. "I'll keep an eye on her," I said, shuffling my feet.

Shaking his head, Tommy chuckled and headed towards the locker room. "Good luck with that," he said, waving as he disappeared from sight.

A few seconds passed before I realized Aimee was staring at me. "Well?" she asked. "I don't know what Tom might have told you, but I don't bite."

I sat down next to her. "Sorry. Just… wasn't sure what to say."

"It's all right." Aimee gestured towards the locker room. "How long has he been like this?"

"A couple of weeks. Ever since Kim broke up with him."

"The gymnastics chick?" When I nodded, Aimee continued, "Tom told me about that, but he didn't want to talk much about it at the time."

"He still doesn't want to talk about it."

She sipped at her coffee. "It's the way he deals with things. Pretends everything's all right and hopes it'll all go away eventually." Aimee looked over at me. "What happened, anyway?"

"That's probably something Tommy should tell you." I was sure Tommy trusted his sister, but if he wasn't ready to tell her, I thought I should abide by his wishes.

"He will, eventually." Aimee's voice grew serious. "By that point, he'll break down, and everything he's holding in will just pour out of him. I want to know what to expect when that happens."

I sighed. The details were between him and Kim, so maybe Tommy wouldn't mind if I told Aimee the general facts. "Kim sent him a letter," I said, my voice falling quiet as if Tommy might hear me. "It said she'd met someone else and she was sorry for hurting him."

For a few seconds, Aimee just stared at me. "So you're telling me this bitch cheated on him," she said slowly, "but didn't have the balls to even _call _him to break it off?"

"Kim's not like that. She and Tommy were together for years – I know it hurt her to do this."

She snorted. "Uh-huh. Tell that to my brother, who's destroying himself over some girl who doesn't deserve him."

"We've tried to cheer him up, but nothing's working." I shook my head. "He won't tell us he's hurt by it, but we all know it's true."

Aimee stared at the locker room door. "You've got to distract him. Give him something that keeps him from thinking about her."

"Do you think getting out of Angel Grove might help?" I wasn't a relationship expert – far from it – but as Rangers, none of my friends took a vacation in ages. "I know of a good ski resort, all of us could go."

"It could work." Aimee finished what was left of her coffee. "Maybe Noah and I could think of something to do when you got back. A hiking trip, maybe."

"Who's Noah?" It was the second time I'd heard her mention the name.

"My dance partner. We've been part of the same dance troupe for ages." She dropped her empty cup in a nearby trash can. "He's a pretty cool kid to hang around with, too."

I shifted in my seat. "Oh. For a minute there, I thought he might be your boyfriend."

Giggling, Aimee put her hands up in protest. "Me and Noah? No way." She looked over at me, raising an eyebrow. "What about you? Any girlfriends lately?"

"N-No." I coughed, trying to hide my sudden nervousness. "No girlfriends."

"Oh." She flashed a smile. "It's a pity, you're really quite cute."

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, and I looked away to see Tommy coming out of the locker room, duffel bag slung over his shoulder. For once in his life, the boy had good timing. Aimee was laughing as Tommy made his way over to us, and he looked genuinely amused. Meanwhile, a part of me wanted to hide from embarrassment.

"I thought I told you to play nice with my friends," Tommy said, shaking his head.

"I _was_ playing nice!" Aimee stuck out her lower lip, pouting. "Maybe a little too nice. Isn't that right, Bill?"

Nodding, I brought one hand to my face, trying to cover up the shock. I wasn't used to taking compliments, at least, not outside schoolwork and technology. It was then that I realized Aimee had nicknamed me – not once did she call me Billy, it was always Bill.

Tommy patted me on the back as if to comfort me. "Sorry about that, man. I won't leave you two alone again – she can be a lot to handle."

"Hey!" Aimee started to protest.

"Oh, it was no trouble," I found myself saying. "She's got some interesting things to say."

She was beaming from ear to ear as she stood up, grabbing her backpack. "See! I _told _you your friends would like me." Leaving over the table, she plucked a napkin out of its container.

"Here," she said, taking the pen out of my shirt pocket and scribbling a number on the napkin. "That's my cell phone. You should call me sometime."

"She got that last week." Tommy shrugged. "I think she's given the number to everyone she's met."

"Have not!"

"That's not what Mom told me."

"Well… I only give it to people I like." Aimee linked her arm through Tommy's. "Anyways, didn't you promise to take me to dinner? I kind of told Noah I'd meet up with him around 7 for rehearsal."

He nodded. "Yeah, we should get going." Tommy caught my eye. "Billy, I'll see you later. Call me if you need me, okay?" There was an undercurrent in his voice, and I knew what he meant – to contact him if King Mondo decided to attack.

"Of course – have fun." I smiled a little. "Aimee, good to see you again."

As the two of them left the Youth Center, I stared down at the napkin Aimee left at the table. There was no way I had just gotten a girl's phone number, and especially not the number of my good friend's little sister. Maybe Tommy was right, and she gave it out to everyone. But then again, I could have sworn Aimee turned around and winked at me as they walked out.

Either way, one phone call to a friend never hurt anyone.

--_ End Flashback _--

The ship landed with a loud clanking sound, and I winced as my hands slid from the controls. It sounded like the landing gear had been damaged during the skirmish, and I added it to the mental checklist of repairs.

Outside the large window, I could see the landing bay door open and a woman with dark hair and faded green cargo pants walk in. I grimaced, looking away from her. I should have known Aimee wouldn't run from a confrontation like this.

Knowing her, she'd probably been waiting for it.

I stood up and stretched. We'd waited too long to have this conversation, and if I remembered correctly, once Aimee took her emotions out on something, she'd calm down and I might be able to handle her. Sighing, I opened the ship's exit hatch.

Aimee was there when the hatch opened, and unfortunately, so was her fist. I took one step before she hit me, sending me tumbling into the side of the doorway.

"You're an asshole, do you know that?" She stood over me, almost shaking. I'd overheard Tommy and Jason talk about Aimee's temper while we were dating, but I'd hoped never to experience it firsthand. "You break up with me with some lame-ass explanation, and then you just take off? And I thought you were supposed to be the smart one."

Wiping a bit of blood from my split lip, I got to my feet. "AJ, let me explain--"

"I said _don't call me that!_" She grabbed my sweater, the same faded black one I brought with me when I first left Earth, and slammed me against the ship. "That's Tommy and Jase's nickname for me and I'll be damned if I let someone like _you_ use it!"

"Aimee, calm down." I pried her hands from my shirt and held her away from me. "I didn't come here for you – I had no idea you were here."

"Of course you had no idea – no one's heard from you in ages." She let go and stalked away from me, pacing in circles. "Did you have fun on Aquitar, Bill? You know, that place where you felt like people finally understand you?"

She knew more than I thought she did. "Tommy told you everything, I see."

"Tommy?" Aimee laughed, low and cynical. Only then I noticed how much older she looked, how bitter she'd become. "Tommy's still oblivious, wherever the hell he is."

I blinked. "You don't know where your brother is?"

"Haven't seen him in three years. Been looking for him for about that long."

"Then who told you about…" Confused, I shook my head. "You're a Ranger, aren't you?" I took in the color of her cargos and the basic white of her tank top. "A Green Ranger."

Hesitation filled her green eyes, and I could tell I'd surprised her. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, and it didn't look like she'd take a swing at me again. "For someone so smart, you can't articulate yourself worth crap," she said. "You need an Oliver to run the Dragonzord. Tommy's MIA and I'm his replacement until he shows up."

"The Dragonzord powers are dead."

"Consider them called back into action." Aimee sent me a glare cold enough to cause an ice storm in Circle 9 of Dante's inferno. "You still didn't answer my question. Why are you here?"

"I told you, my ship was attacked." I kept an eye on Aimee as I started a slow circle around the ship, mentally assessing the damage. Fortunately, none of the scorch marks on the hull seemed to be more than superficial damage. "I'm staying with the Rangers long enough to complete repairs."

Aimee began to walk with me, careful to keep a few feet between us. "That wasn't my question. Where are you headed?"

I stopped, running my fingers along one nasty scratch. "I was homesick," I said. "I liked being on Aquitar, but I thought it was time to come home."

"And you didn't think you'd run into me?"

Wincing, I shook my head. "Not right away, no."

She cursed under her breath. "Douchebag."

After that, Aimee was quiet for a few minutes, waiting until I finished my slow perimeter. I needed to rebuild the transmitter and the communications array and check the wiring for the landing gear, so repairs could take as long as two days, depending on what parts I needed.

Finally, I turned to look at her. Aimee was still glaring daggers at me, but she wasn't trying to kill me, always a good sign. "So… how have you been?" I asked, running my fingers over my hair. I was still getting used to the longer length of it. "How's your mom?"

Her eyes darkened, pain creeping into them. "She died," she said. "Right after Tommy disappeared."

"I'm sorry." I knew how close Aimee had been to her mom. "What happened?"

"Brain hemorrhage." She stared at the wall past my shoulder. "Something just went off in her brain. They told me that even if I'd been there when it happened, there was nothing they could have done for her."

"I was really little when my mom died, but I still remember what it was like," I said quietly. "If you want to talk--"

"Shut up, Bill. I don't want anything from you."

Something started to play, a faint rock song I didn't recognize. Cursing, Aimee dug through the pockets of her pants and pulled out her cell phone. "What is it?" she snapped as she answered the call.

Aimee's cell phone… the device that started this whole mess between us. I took a seat on the landing ramp while I listened to her end of the conversation.

"Oh, it's you." Aimee's face relaxed, shoulders slumping a little. "Sorry, today's just not been my day… Crap, that's right, I forgot that was this afternoon. I know, like brother, like sister… I can be down in a few minutes." She looked over at me and frowned. "Actually, I've got company here, you'll probably want to see him… No, it's not Tom, I wish it was… Okay. See you in a bit."

Snapping the cell phone shut, she stuffed it back in her pocket and walked over to me. "If you've got anything you need to bring with you, now's the time to get it," Aimee said. "We're going out."

I stood up. "Where are we going?"

"You asked how I knew about you and Aquitar and the Power Rangers." There was a mischievous glint in her eyes, and my stomach turned. This wasn't going to end well.

"We're going to see Jason."

-

_**Author's Notes: **For the record, I like Kim, and Tommy/Kim is one of my favorite pairings. However, I don't see Aimee as a character liking Kim. She tore out Tommy's heart, and even though Aimee is the younger of the two, she feels just as responsible for him as he feels about her. It makes sense for her to be angry – and stay angry – over The Letter. _

_  
I hope I've managed to establish how a relationship between Billy and Aimee might work out, and more will be revealed in flashbacks as this story continues. Let me know how successful I've been; I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas. _


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